Best Theology & Ministry Schools Near Athens, GA (2026)

Updated September 1, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Athens, Georgia has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs, with tuition ranging from $26,792 to $39,152 per year for indexed programs. Athens has a population of about 137,582. In Georgia, the top-earning theology-related role is Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $77,570 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Theology Schools to Athens

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer theology programs near Athens, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Athens city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Athens. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Emmanuel University

Franklin Springs, GA 26.2 miles from Athens
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
30.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,208
Avg net price $20,925/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Toccoa Falls College

Toccoa Falls, GA 44.4 miles from Athens
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
31.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,630
Avg net price $21,642/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Luther Rice College & Seminary

Lithonia, GA 46.7 miles from Athens
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
30.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,003
Avg net price $27,883/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Truett McConnell University

Cleveland, GA 49.6 miles from Athens
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
33.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,700
Avg net price $22,227/yr
Tuition
In‑state$26,792
Out‑of‑state$26,792
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Columbia Theological Seminary

Decatur, GA 53.9 miles from Athens
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Emory University

Atlanta, GA 56.0 miles from Athens
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,137
Avg net price $22,585/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 112

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Beulah Heights University

Atlanta, GA 58.6 miles from Athens
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
18.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 12%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $35,236
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Interdenominational Theological Center

Atlanta, GA 61.2 miles from Athens
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 2

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Georgia schools on the Georgia theology page.

Theology Wages Near Athens

Athens is part of the Athens-Clarke County, GA metro area (BLS area code 12020). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Georgia statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clergy$59,530Athens-Clarke County, GA$63,805
Director of Religious Activities and Education$72,910GA statewide$78,146
Religious Worker, All Other$49,200GA statewide$52,733
Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary$77,570GA statewide$83,140

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Athens at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Athens-Area Cities With Theology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited theology schools are near Athens, GA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering theology programs near Athens. The closest is Emmanuel University in Franklin Springs, GA (26.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Columbia Theological Seminary (53.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying theology roles near Athens?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying theology-related roles near Athens are: Philosophy and Religion Teacher, Postsecondary ($77,570), Director of Religious Activities and Education ($72,910), Clergy ($59,530). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Georgia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Winder instead of Athens?

Winder, GA is 20.4 miles from Athens and has its own set of local theology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Theology Programs

Other Programs Available in Athens

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Athens:

Data verified: September 1, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Theology & Ministry Schools in Georgia (2026)